Credits

host: Roald Hoffmann
series demonstrator: Don Showalter
computer graphics: Circuit Studios
editor: Geoff Dils
narrator: Fran Dorn
music: Richard Paul Brier

Segments

1. The World of Chemistry
The relationships of chemistry to the other sciences and to everyday life are presented.

2. Color
The search for new colors in the mid 1800s boosted the development of modern chemistry.

3. Measurement: The Foundation of Chemistry
The distinction between accuracy and precision and its importance in commerce and science are explained.

4. Modeling the Unseen
Models are used to explain phenomena that are beyond the realm of ordinary perception.

5. A Matter of State
Matter is examined in its three principal states — gases, liquids, and solids — relating the visible world to the submicroscopic.

6. The Atom
Viewers journey inside the atom to appreciate its architectural beauty and grasp how atomic structure determines chemical behavior.

7. The Periodic Table
The development and arrangement of the periodic table of elements is examined.

8. Chemical Bonds
The differences between ionic and covalent bonds are explained by the use of scientific models and examples from nature.

9. Molecular Architecture
The program examines isomers and how the electronic structure of a molecule's elements and bonds affects its shape and physical properties.

10. Signals From Within
Chemists' knowledge of the interaction of radiation and matter is the basis for analytical methods of sensitivity and specificity.

11. The Mole
Using Avogadro's law, the mass of a substance can be related to the number of particles contained in that mass.

12. Water
The special chemical properties of water are explored, along with the need for its protection and conservation.

13. The Driving Forces
Endothermic and exothermic reactions are investigated and the role of entropy is revealed.

14. Molecules in Action
Observing molecules during chemical reactions helps explain the role of catalysts. Dynamic equilibrium is also demonstrated.

15. The Busy Electron
The principles of electrochemical cell design are explained through batteries, sensors, and a solar-powered car.

16. The Proton in Chemistry
Demonstrations explain pH and how it is measured, and the important role of acids and bases.

17. The Precious Envelope
The earth's atmosphere is examined through theories of chemical evolution; ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect are explained.

18. The Chemistry of the Earth
Silicon, a cornerstone of the high-tech industry, is one of the elements of the Earth highlighted in this program.

19. Metals
Malleability, ductility, and conductivity are examined, along with methods for extracting metals from ores and blending alloys.

20. On the Surface
Surface science examines how surfaces react with each other at the molecular level.

21. Carbon
The versatility of carbon's molecular structures and the enormous range of properties of its compounds are presented.

22. The Age of Polymers
How chemists control the molecular structure to create polymers with special properties is explored.

23. Proteins: Structure and Function
The program examines proteins — polymers built from only 20 basic amino acids.

24. The Genetic Code
The structure and role of the nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, are investigated.

25. Chemistry and the Environment
Dump site waste management demonstrates chemistry's benefits and problems.

26. Futures
Interviews with leaders from academia and industry explore the frontiers of chemical research.